Five Awkward Kisses
by NarcissisticNinny
Summary: Five times Zoro kisses Sanji before he finally kissed back.


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"I hate you!" Sanji screamed.

Sanji was five years old and already he had met his mortal enemy. It was his first day of school and he had gotten in a fight with some stupid green haired kid that called himself Zoro. He couldn't remember what started the fight, only that he couldn't stand him.

"I hate you too!" Zoro yelled back.

Sanji glared, thinking about raising his foot and kicking his ass. His old man told him not to do it unless it was serious, but he thought Zeff would forgive him for this. He didn't get a kick in though because Zoro tackled him to the ground. They rolled in the dirt and the other kids gathered around them and watch them fight, and Sanji heard some kids making bets over who would win.

They resorted to biting and hair yanking until their teacher pulled them apart. In the morning, Zeff had told him to be good and have a nice first say of school. Sanji ended up going to the principal's office on the very first day and it wasn't even noon yet. Sanji just knew Zeff would be furious with him. He glared at Zoro, fully intending on telling the principal it was all his fault.

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After the principle sent them back to class, their teacher made him and Zoro sit in a special corner, right next to each other. They weren't allowed to talk to the other kids and had to write a paper about the importance of friendship and not resorting to violence. She thought it would help them get along.

It didn't.

Zoro made fun of his eyebrows and he made fun of his stupid green hair, elbowing each other as they wrote their paper. Still, when Sanji got up to turn in his assignment, Zoro handed him his paper, offering a weak smile in hopes Sanji would turn it in for him. Sanji did -only because he wanted to look good, maybe be able to sit somewhere else - and noticed the little swirls on the corner of Zoro's paper.

The teacher didn't allow him to sit anywhere else, so he was stuck with Zoro for the day. When the bell rang at the end of school all the kids ran out. Sanji was last because Zeff just had to buy him a backpack bigger than Sanji himself and get him one too many notebooks and pencil cases. Sanji huffed, adjusting the straps to his backpack and walked his way towards his house. He was startled to see Zoro walking with him.

"Are you following me?" Sanji asked, wondering if Zoro was planning on punching him again, especially since there were no adults to interfere this time.

"My house is in this direction."

They walked a block in complete silence. Sanji was still cautious of Zoro, he had only met him and a few hours prior they had declared their hatred of each other. "You don't have to walk next to me," Sanji complained. "I saw you enough at school today."

Zoro shrugged. He was able to move his shoulders, his backpack was light, and Sanji had noticed earlier he had just one notebook and a single pencil and one pen in his green Incredible Hulk backpack. "Just making sure you don't get lost."

"As if!" Sanji snapped.

As it turned out, fate or some cruel destiny would have it that Sanji lived two blocks away from Zoro. They hit Sanji's house first, then Zoro had pointed to his house, which wasn't too far from his. Sanji knew then God hated him. "Is there no God?" Sanji complained.

"Of course not idiot," Zoro muttered, his eyes still studying his house. "So this is where you live."

"Yeah, and you're not welcome inside," Sanji said, sticking out his tongue.

Zoro stood there before shrugging and continuing walking down the street. "See you tomorrow."

Sanji stood there, boiling in hatred. His mortal enemy knew where he lived. He just knew Zoro was planning something.

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Two weeks went by without attack on his house. School was fine, although Sanji was still forced to sit next to Zoro in the back of the class without any contact with other students. They started to get along a little better, just a little. At least they were only sent to the principal's office once a day instead of every hour.

Usually they walked home together in silence. Zoro would walk him to his house and continue his way to his home, but sometimes Zoro would go off in the opposite direction and Sanji would never stop him. It was one of those days, and Sanji watched him walk, unsure if he was lost again or simply not going home. Either way, he didn't want to walk next to him, especially since Zoro had dumped glitter in his hair during art class. Sanji headed out when he was stopped by three older kids that waiting by the school exit. "Hey curly brows, where are you going?"

"Fuck off," Sanji muttered, walking past them.

"Quite a mouth you have on you blondie." One of the older kids pushed him, and since the backpack Zeff got him had to the same size as him, he stumbled backwards.

"Leave him alone." Sanji turned his head to side, wondering when did Zoro get by his side all of a sudden.

"Aw, pipsqueak's got a little friend," one of them teased. The other's broke into a grin, looking Zoro up and down.

"Go away marimo," Sanji muttered under his breath.

All of a sudden, Zoro pushed his shoulder, making him fall on his butt, and wasn't happy about it -he blamed the heaviness of the backpack, and not Zoro's strong push. When he looked up, ready to tell Zoro to go fuck himself, the other boys were on the ground, two were sporting black eyes; one was sporting a bloody nose.

Zoro huffed, his knuckles bleeding, presumably from punching the idiots. Zoro walked towards him, extending his hand. Sanji frowned, taking his hand –because he couldn't get up without the help- and allowed him to bring him to his feet. They headed out and walked towards home in silence.

"I could have taken them myself," Sanji said.

"Sure."

"And you didn't have to push me out of the way."

"I know."

Sanji whirled on him. "If you know, why did you do it?"

"Because I like you."

He had said it so simply, Sanji was confused for a moment. "Well, I hate you!" he said.

Zoro's face fell a little, then he just got mad. His brows furrowed and his shoulders shook. For a moment Sanji thought he was going to hit him, _really_ hit him. "I hate you _more!_"

He didn't hit him, he just ran off in the opposite direction, running fast away from him. Sanji sighed. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled after him. "Your house is the other way stupid!"

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Because of the fact that Sanji fought so much with Zoro, no one else wanted to be friends with him. So lunch and recess meant hanging out with the marimo, though begrudgingly. He actually wasn't so bad when he wasn't making fun of him.

Usually they talked about T.V. shows. Zoro liked watching the Incredible Hulk, to which Sanji made jokes about his green hair. Sanji preferred to watch X-Men. Zoro loved the show Gargoyles; Sanji liked Pinky and The Brain. They both liked comics but argued over who would win in a fight, Batman or Superman.

After one of their many Superman versus Batman fights, Sanji sat next to Zoro on the bench outside the principal's office, waiting to meet their judgment. Sanji eyed Zoro, who was the only person he could call a friend, even if they did give each other bruises.

"Hey, marimo, you can come over to my house after school. We can watch T.V. and I can cook something for you, and someone needs to make sure you do your homework for once," he said, looking at the several bandages covering Zoro's knees and elbows.

Zoro gave him a look, and Sanji thought he was going to say no, but Zoro nodded. "My parents get home late from work, sure."

Sanji smiled. He didn't know why, but he was happy. "Cool."

"I have nothing better to do anyways."

Sanji kicked him right when the principal opened the door to tell them to come in. He just knew Zeff was going to give him hell.

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Some days Zoro would ditch Sanji to hang out with two older kids, Yosaku and Johnny who got sent to the principal's office almost as much as they did, almost. Sometimes Sanji would ask to tag along but Zoro refused before running off. Sanji had trouble making friends with the other kids because they were afraid of him, but once he started playing soccer with them they would beg him to be on their team.

One day Zoro grabbed him before he went off to play soccer and gave Sanji a flower. "What's this for?" Sanji asked, giving him a look.

"I saw you playing soccer at recess, you were actually ok."

Sanji kicked him. "Shut up."

"And," Zoro actually blushed then. "I like you."

Sanji looked at them, then back at the flower in his hand, obviously one of the yellow daisies in front of school that were around the main office. "I'm not a girl stupid."

"I know, but I still like you," he said. He saw Zoro take in a deep breath before he grabbed his shoulders in a tight grip. Zoro leaned in and kissed him.

It was Sanji's first kiss. He couldn't believe it. His first kiss was from Zoro! He pushed him away and wiped at his lips, trying to calm the rapid beating of his heart. "Why did you kiss me?'

"I already told you, I like you."

Zoro ran off before Sanji could response, going to hang out with two older kids, Johnny and Yosaku, who were already clapping his shoulder and saying something about finally doing it.

Sanji frowned, hating Zoro for kissing him. He held onto the flower, shoving it in his pocket to keep. He went off to find his friends, ready to kick some goalie in the shin.

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When Sanji got home, he went to the kitchen counter and did his homework. He didn't ask Zoro to come over after school because he was still embarrassed, and plus Zoro had ran off again. He didn't show up to class after lunch, he probably went to the arcade with Yosaku and Johnny again. He did that when they had an oral presentation and Zoro didn't want to do it.

"How was school string bean?" Zeff asked from his place at the stove, working on making them dinner.

"Fine," he said, not lifting his head from his homework.

"Hm. You're quiet tonight." Zeff looked on amused. "What happened to you?"

Sanji sighed, debating if he should say anything. "Zoro kissed me today," Sanji said. He looked down at his homework again, avoiding Zeff's stare.

Zeff burst into laughter, throwing his whole body into the laughter as if were the funniest thing he'd ever heard. "Oh, first kiss?"

"Shut it old man!"

Zeff continued to smile. "I'll start saving for the wedding."

Sanji ran to his room and locked himself in, only coming downstairs when the old man called him for dinner.

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By the time they're eight; they are inseparable. Zoro does still hang out with Johnny and Yosaku, but everyday after school he goes to Sanji's house. They usually play with Sanji's collection of hot wheels or pretend to be superheroes and beat each other up. Zoro always wants to Batman and makes Sanji be Robin. Sanji never wanted to be Robin. One time Zoro suggested to Sanji that he could be Catwoman. That led them to breaking the coffee table and a truly heartfelt apology to Zeff.

On Fridays Zeff would get out of work early and treat them to ice cream and once in a while, the arcade. They were both sore losers and always said, 'I let you win' after they lost. Usually they went home and Zoro almost always slept over. When it was hot, Zeff would set up a tent outside for them to sleep in the backyard. They would always fall asleep with their shoulders touching, and neither of them knew why they didn't move away from each other.

Every once in a while Zoro would invite him over to his house, and his mother would take out pictures of Zoro as a baby and show them Sanji, who got a kick out of them. One time, when Zoro was busy helping his dad take out the trash, Zoro's mom pulled him aside and gave Sanji a picture of Zoro when he was two. She smiled and told him to keep it.

Sanji nodded, stuffing it in his backpack. He never told Zoro about the picture, or that he had it under his pillow.

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When Zoro was ten, his parents died in a car crash. He had no other family to speak of, so he was going to live with one of his father's friends, Koshiro. Sanji had begged Zeff to adopt him, but the old man said he would be better with the Koshiro guy. Sanji didn't think so. Hell, Zoro had practically lived with them until that point.

Sanji was trying not to cry as they said their goodbyes. "I'll visit."

Zoro smiled sadly. Koshiro lived the next state over. It was six-hour drive, an eternity away fro a ten year old. "You better asshole," Zoro threatened.

"You better visit me too," Sanji said, shoving at his shoulder.

"I will," he promised.

He wished Zeff was able to take him in. Zoro looked over his shoulder, looking at the lady sitting in her car, waiting for him. A social worker had come around for him and was ready to take him to his new home. Zoro sighed and handed Sanji his Batman comic books. Sanji looked down at them, remembering that Bruce Wayne's parent died when he was ten. "Keep them for me?"

Sanji nodded, holding them to his chest. Zoro took a deep breath, and leaned in, grabbing Sanji's shoulders and kissing him again. Sanji didn't kiss back. Zeff was next to him after all. Sanji only regained bodily function when Zoro stepped back. He bit his lip, looking from Sanji to Zeff before settling on Sanji again. "See you," he said.

Sanji nodded again, staying silent as Zoro walked off and got in the car. Sanji stood there by his porch and watched him go until the car was no longer visible. He hugged the comics tighter to his chest, feeling lonely all of a sudden.

After some time Zeff ruffled Sanji's hair and said something about young love under his breath. Sanji didn't ask, he looked down at the comics, planning on putting them on the shelf along with his own. Of course Zoro wouldn't want to keep them. Sanji would keep them until Zoro wanted to read them again.

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For five years they visited each other every month. When Sanji turned sixteen he got a car and visited Zoro every weekend, making the usual six-hour drive in four and a half hour. Korshiro and Zeff both didn't like Sanji speeding and making them worry, so they often made a point to send Zoro out to visit him every other week. Koshiro usually couldn't drive him because he had work, so Zoro would take the bus out to Sanji's place.

Sanji waited at the bus stop, smiling when he saw the bus coming towards him. Zoro usually sat in the back, so he was always the last to get out. When he stepped out, Sanji frowned. Zoro was taller than him now. He was hoping they would stay the same height, or that Zoro would just stop growing. He must have been several inches taller by now.

"Hey marimo."

Zoro grinned, bringing him into a crushing hug, lifting Sanji of the ground. A few people laughed at Sanji's flailing. Sanji ordered him to put him down, which he did after a crushing hug and a chuckle.

Sanji drove them to his place and they did what they always did; catch up. They ate, watched television, and beat the crap out of each other over who was the better Robin, Dick Grayson or Jason Todd. Zoro thought Jason Todd was better only because Zoro was out of his mind, because, as Sanji argued, Dick was cooler.

When it was late at night, both full on snacks and eyes tired from playing too many video games, Sanji smiled and told Zoro about his first girlfriend. Zoro nodded, listening to everything he said without being very happy for him. Sanji nudged his shoulder, asking what it was like living with a girl. He knew Kuina was really pretty, had seen her the few times he had gone over. Zoro shrugged and changed the subject. Sanji pressed on before Zoro gave him a look. Sanji wondered what his look meant.

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After five months of dating, Sanji's girlfriend broke up with him. He was feeling shitty. He had talked to Zoro on the phone about it, but Zoro had hung up, hurriedly saying he had something else to do. It had pissed Sanji off, and he was still lying in bed, occasionally beating his pillow. It was pouring rain outside, just to fit his shitty mood.

He was pissed at Zoro for being a shit friend though, more so than being dumped. He sort of saw it coming, so even though he was heartbroken, he was just disappointed with Zoro. It startled him when the doorbell rang, even more so when he saw Zoro standing there in the rain.

"What are you doing here?!" he asked, eyes wide. Behind Zoro, he noticed Koshiro's car. Zoro probably sped the whole way to get to Sanji.

Zoro grabbed his shoulders, and based on what happened the other times Zoro had grabbed him that way, he knew what was coming. Zoro kissed him. He pressed him back against the door, kissing Sanji with all his might, like he was sucking the air out of him. His lips moved against his mouth, his tongue lapping at his unmoving lips. His body was soaked, hair damp form the rain, soaking Sanji's clothes too.

Sanji leaned back against the door, and he didn't push him away, but he didn't kiss back either. He stood still, eyes wide, arms limp and useless at his side. Zoro let him go, looking a little embarrassed. Sanji cleared his throat, moving strands of hair away from his face.

"Come on inside knucklehead," he said. "I'll make some spam musubi."

Zoro nodded, following him inside. He sat by the counter, listening to Sanji bitch about how terribly things ended with his girlfriend. Sanji set the plate of musubi in front of him and looked at him, wet and a slight blush to his cheeks, probably still embarrassed about kissing him. He moved to hug him.

"Thanks for coming by marimo. I needed the company."

Before Zoro could hug him back, he let go. After they were done eating they went to bed. Sanji let him sleep in bed with him that night, snuggling into Zoro's chest and thanking him for visiting him when he needed someone before falling asleep.

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By the time they're eighteen, they are both living together in an apartment and going to the same college. Zoro was now only one inch taller, not quite a huge difference like it was in high school, so Sanji was content. College went on great for Sanji. He was studying what he always loved, lived with his best friend, and there were a lot of beautiful women on campus. He never dated any of them, he got rejected as soon as he the heart shaped eyes came out.

Sanji had never seen Zoro with anyone, never in a romantic way at least. Zoro had mentioned losing his virginity and swinging both ways a few times during high school, but Sanji never met anyone Zoro mentioned. It threw him off guard when he saw Zoro lead Ace to his room one night after inviting Ace over for a 'study session.' They didn't emerge until morning, both looking more content that he had ever seen them.

He didn't mind, didn't say anything, he especially ignored that terrible feeling that settled in the pit of his stomach when Zoro walked Ace to the door after eating the breakfast Sanji made them and Ace had leaned in and kissed him goodbye. After that he hated Ace for some reason.

Despite Sanji occasionally muttering his hatred for Ace, him and Zoro got along fine. They got drunk every week and partied all night, even if Sanji could never remember anything afterwards. One time Sanji managed to stay conscious while they drank by themselves in their apartment. He sat next to a drunken Zoro as he stubbornly took down more bottle of Jack Daniels, despite Sanji telling him to slow down.

Sanji felt his face flush, the heat from too much alcohol filling his system. He leaned on Zoro's shoulder, always the touchy one when drunk. Zoro slung an arm around him, and Sanji didn't move away from him. They talked much closer than necessary, and Sanji knew he should have been clinging to couch or something else that night, just knew it, because Zoro kissed him again, this time almost missing his mouth due to his drunken state.

In all honesty, the kiss wasn't half bad. Sure, it started off pretty bad, but once Zoro found his lips, his licked his lips and parted his mouth, deepening the kiss, his hand at the back of Sanji's neck angling him just right. When Zoro noticed Sanji wasn't kissing back, he let go. They were both blushing, and Zoro looked down, away from Sanji.

Sanji cleared his throat. Outside he was ok; inside he was panicking. He didn't know what to say, and he felt like such a fool for not reacting to his kiss. And he had to say something.

"Thank you," he blurted out.

He wanted to slam his head against concrete when he realized how retarded he had been. Zoro lifted his head, raising his eyebrow, jaw a bit slack as he looked at Sanji. It was exactly what Sanji's reaction would have been, had it been the other way around.

"Um, you're welcome?"

Sanji felt like dying.

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"What's the deal with you and Ace?" Sanji asked bluntly one day.

Zoro usually told him everything, and though they never pried anything out of each other before, the fact that Zoro didn't mention Ace and their relationship of sorts got on Sanji's nerves. Zoro shrugged. "It's just casual, nothing serious. It's not like we're seeing each other."

"You're such an asshole," Sanji muttered darkly.

Zoro raised an eyebrow at him. "What's your problem?"

"Nothing," he said. "I just don't like you messing with people's feeling. I mean, you're sleeping with him, a persons' bound to get emotionally involved, and while you seem nonchalant about it, I'm worried Ace might get his feelings hurt in the process," he lied.

Zoro narrowed his eyes more. "We both know it's not serious. Trust me, I'm not hurting his feelings."

"Is he hurting yours?" Sanji asked, somewhat angrily. If Zoro had developed feelings for Ace, and Ace was sleeping around, he was going to have to break someone's jaw.

"I'm gay, not a fairy. Of course my feelings aren't hurt," Zoro said, raising his eyebrow even more. "You sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine. Absolutely fine," Sanji said in the fakest of merry tones.

Zoro gave him a look. "Sure." He cleared his throat. "If you don't have homework tonight let's go out drinking, Nami's having a party in her dorm. I know how much you enjoy tits."

Sanji nodded. "Yeah, I'll go."

Maybe the company of Nami and alcohol would make the sounds that Zoro and Ace made that morning go away.

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They sat in Zoro's brand new car, the one he had been saving up for months. It was a piece of shit used car with a funny smell, but Sanji wouldn't spoil his fun just yet. Zoro had driven them to the hills where they could watch the city lights below. Zoro would celebrate by taking him to the favourite make out place for the college and high school kids.

Sanji lit his cigarette. "It's a nice view."

"Yeah, it is," Zoro said.

"Hey Zoro, can I ask you something, something personal?"

"For the last time, I'm not telling you the colour of my pubes."

"No, not that."

"Oh. What?"

"What's it like being with a guy? I mean; I know you've been with a girl, but, what's it like, you know, with a guy." He nearly choked on his own words, and had his entire body facing away from Zoro. He didn't want to see his expression. "Don't take the question too seriously, I'm just curious."

Zoro nearly choked on his words too before clearing his throat. "Um, well, besides the obvious differences, it's good. If you know what you're doing, it's great. I uh, I guess I prefer men."

"Like Ace?"

"Ace is good, and we both like each other, just not in the way you think cook. He has his heart set on Marco, we're just together to fill the void."

"What's your void?" Sanji asked, looking at Zoro for the first time.

Zoro sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Oh. I've had my heart set on his shitty little blond. He gets on my nerves and dresses like a cold-blooded lawyer. He smells like girl's perfume instead of cologne and takes care of his hair more than any girl I've ever met. But you can't help your feelings I guess." He lolled his head to the side, looking at Sanji. "Why do you ask? I thought you were straight."

Sanji swallowed. "The last time you kissed me, it wasn't actually bad," he admitted with a blush on his face. "And, I don't know," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I can hear you guys, Ace is kind of loud, but he sounds, I don't know, pleased." He paused, the silence nearly killing him. "I was just curious."

Zoro stared into Sanji's eyes for a few quiet moments, making Sanji nervous with his blank expression until Zoro leaned in, kissing him softly, with more practice and ease than the other times he had done it. Sanji relaxed into the kiss, and soon, he found himself throwing the cigarette out the window, leaning in and kissing him back.

It wasn't like the other time, where Zoro rushed, that need fuelling him to get drunk on his kiss. His lips were slow and practiced, making Sanji sigh into the kiss. After a bit, Zoro moved back, resting on his seat, staring ahead.

"Sorry cook," he said. "I shouldn't have done that."

Sanji sat there in silence, index finger touching his wet lips. "It's ok," he said. He thought of the times Zoro had kissed him, and realized, all those times, Zoro had made the first move, always putting himself out there, open to rejection and all those awful things that came along with being told no. Sanji inched closer. "Actually, it was more than ok," he whispered, leaning in and kissing him.

They parted their lips, inviting their tongues into each other's mouths. Zoro's hand ran through his hair, moving the bangs away from his eyes, kissing him softly, almost tenderly. They stopped when they needed air, both still cupping each other's faces, laughing a little. "You're not so bad at kissing cook."

"I'm a good kisser!"

"Could have fooled me, the other times you stood there frozen solid. It was like kissing a statue."

"You caught me off guard, that's why."

"Excuses cook."

"They are not!"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"I hate you."

Zoro chuckled, kissing him again. "No you don't."

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The afterglow was nice.

Sanji was on his back, Zoro's head resting on his shoulder, lips barely touching his neck. Sanji's fingers played with his hair, sweaty from their earlier activities. Zoro's arms went under Sanji, hugging him tight, breathing in his scent that hung heavily in the room.

"Did I ever tell you why I broke up with my first girlfriend?"

Zoro lifted his head, giving him a look. "Nooo..."

Sanji grinned. "She was jealous. I can't blame her. Every weekend I drove to go see you instead of taking her on a date. That, and she found a picture I had of you under my pillow."

"So, she was jealous of me," he said. "Wait, what picture?"

"I'll show you later." Sanji said. "When she broke up with me, she told me to just be happy. I didn't know what she meant at the time."

Zoro grinned, kissing his temple. "Blond."

"Shut up."

Zoro rolled off Sanji, settling on the mattress to lay by Sanji's side and closed his eyes. "Go to bed."

"We are in bed."

"Go to _sleep_."

Sanji grinned. "Hey marimo."

"What?"

Sanji leaned in, kissing him. It was slow and sweet, a lovers kiss. Sanji smiled. "I wanted to kiss you back this time. I felt bad for rejecting you so many goddamn times."

"You sure were a prude curly brows," Zoro sighed dramatically. "You're like a fucking nun, that and you never show off that fabulous body of yours because it's always covered in a suit. Such a shame really."

"Fuck off, I'm not a nun. Just because I'm not as scandalous as you."

"Shut it, I'm too tired to hear your preaching nun."

Sanji reached out for Zoro's neck, pulling him in for another kiss. "I like you more when you're not talking."

"Hmm, that's a good way to keep me quiet."

Sanji grinned, kissing him again.

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The End

Fluff overload I know, but I just had to write something.


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